by 360 reviews.
VIFLY Beacon Self-powered Drone Buzzer Review: Never Lose Your Drone Again!
If you’re a drone enthusiast, you know the heart-stopping moment when your drone disappears into the horizon, crashes into a tree, or gets lost in tall grass. The VIFLY Beacon Self-powered Drone Buzzer is here to save the day. Designed to help you locate your lost drone with ease, this device is packed with features like a built-in motion sensor, a loud 110dB beeper, and automatic LED lights. Whether you’re flying an aerial photography drone, an FPV quad, or even an airplane, the VIFLY Beacon promises to make your drone recovery process a breeze.
Key Features of the VIFLY Beacon
- Self-powered with a built-in LiPo battery
No need to rely on your drone’s battery, which might get damaged or ejected during a crash. - Motion sensor activation
Automatically detects abnormal movements or crashes and triggers the alarm. - Loud 110dB beeper
Helps you locate your drone even from a distance. - Automatic LED lights
Flashes brightly in low-light conditions, making it easier to spot your drone at night. - Wireless and no soldering required
Attach it to your drone with velcro or zip ties—no complicated setup needed. - Anti-theft function
Continuously beeps if someone tries to pick up your drone while it’s in alarm mode. - Compatible with all drone types
Works seamlessly with DJI drones, FPV quads, and airplanes.
Pros and Cons of the VIFLY Beacon
Pros
1. Ease of Installation and Use
One of the standout features of the VIFLY Beacon is its simplicity. As one customer put it, “It’s dead-simple to set up and use. You don’t have to worry if it’s working properly, and you finally don’t have to worry WHEN your drone develops a mind of its own!” The device requires no soldering or wiring—just attach it to your drone with velcro or zip ties, and you’re good to go. This makes it a great option for beginners and experienced drone pilots alike.
2. Loud and Bright
The 110dB beeper is a lifesaver when it comes to locating a lost drone. One user shared their experience: “I lost my drone in a tree, and the VIFLY Beacon kept beeping for two solid days. I was impressed!” The automatic LED lights also add an extra layer of visibility, especially in low-light conditions. Another user noted, “The LED lights are bright and attention-grabbing, making it easier to spot the drone at night.”
3. Self-Powered and Rechargeable
Unlike other trackers that rely on the drone’s battery, the VIFLY Beacon has its own 80mAh LiPo battery. This means it will continue to work even if your drone’s battery is damaged or ejected during a crash. One reviewer appreciated this feature, saying, “The fact that it has its own battery is a game-changer. I don’t have to worry about losing power during a crash.”
4. Anti-Theft Functionality
The anti-theft feature is a nice bonus. If someone tries to pick up your drone while it’s in alarm mode, the VIFLY Beacon will continuously beep, deterring potential thieves. As one user mentioned, “It’s a great theft deterrent. If someone tries to take my drone, they’ll think twice when they hear the loud beeping.”
Cons
1. Price Point
While the VIFLY Beacon is packed with features, some users feel it’s a bit pricey compared to other buzzers on the market. One reviewer noted, “It’s expensive for what it does. If you’re comfortable with soldering, there are cheaper options out there.”
2. Requires Manual Activation
One of the drawbacks is that you need to remember to turn the device on before each flight. A user shared their experience: “I’ve lost two of them because I forgot to turn them on during line-of-sight flying. It’s easy to forget since it’s not connected to the flight controller.” This can be a minor inconvenience, especially if you’re used to buzzers that are always armed.
3. Durability Concerns
While the VIFLY Beacon is designed to be impact-resistant, some users have reported issues with the velcro backing not sticking well to the shrinkwrap. One user mentioned, “The velcro backing doesn’t stick well, so I had to use zip ties to secure it properly.”
Real-World Applications
For FPV Drones and Airplanes
The VIFLY Beacon is a great option for FPV drones and airplanes that don’t have a flight controller or built-in buzzer. One user shared, “I use this on my FPV wing builds running KOPILOT. It’s a lifesaver when I crash in tall grass or lose sight of my drone.”
For Model Rocketry
Interestingly, the VIFLY Beacon has found a niche in model rocketry. One rocketry enthusiast explained, “I use these for model rockets, and they work great. I attach it to the shock chord, and it helps me locate the rocket after launch. It’s not something you’ll hear from hundreds of yards away, but once you’re within 125 feet, the beeping is loud and clear.”
For DJI Drones
DJI drone owners have also found the VIFLY Beacon to be a valuable addition. One user said, “I installed it on my DJI Mini, and it’s been a game-changer. The GPS on DJI drones only gives you a rough location, but with the VIFLY Beacon, I can pinpoint my drone’s exact location using the sound and lights.”
Final Verdict
The VIFLY Beacon Self-powered Drone Buzzer is a reliable and user-friendly solution for anyone who wants to avoid the nightmare of losing their drone. Its loud beeper, bright LED lights, and motion sensor activation make it an excellent tool for locating lost drones in various conditions. While it’s a bit pricier than some alternatives and requires manual activation, its ease of use and self-powered design make it a worthwhile investment.
If you’re looking for peace of mind and a way to protect your expensive drone, the VIFLY Beacon is a solid choice. As one satisfied customer put it, “This is actually a very sophisticated tracker with a very simple user interface. Highly recommended!”
Specification Beacon Self-powered Drone Buzzer with Battery Lost Drone Alarm Tracker for Aerial Photography Quads, FPV Quads and Airplanes (1pc pack):
Comments from Amazon:
It's very small & light weight - BUT - it is very bright and LOUD! And it's automatic. Brighter when dark, increasing beeping loudness. Beeps an SOS when picked up (theft deterrent).
OVERVIEW: THis thing works great on you toys that don't have a flight controller or no options for a buzzer. It also works great if you don't want to solder to your flight controller. The buzzer is pretty loud. I have not measured it so I can't say if it meets the loudness stated in the description, but it is significantly louder than those buzzers rated @ 90db. PROS -Loud -No soldering required -No flight controller required -Easy use to attach with double sided tape or velcro (be warned that veloc backing doesn't want to stick to the shrinkwrap real well) -Seems pretty impact resistant CONS -Expensive for what it does compared to other buzzers -It really needs a case so that you can attach with a zip tie (I've lost two of them because I forgot to turn them on during line of sight flying and have them pop of and not notice that they popped off.). Remembering to turn it on seems like a rookie mistake but, most of the other buzzers are connected to flight controllers so, essentially they are always "armed" and just waiting for you to hit the buzzer switch on your radio or for your battery to get disconnected in a crash) Recommendation: I use this on FPV wing build that are running KOPILOT because it's not possible to put a buzzer on those you are using the SBUS connection. If you have a flight controller and don't mind doing the soldering, then I think there are better and cheaper options out there. The pro of not being connected to a flight controllers is also a con of not being connected to a flight controller, you can't control it with a switch (more useful when you haven't crashed but just landed in high grass). If you forget to turn it on, then it is easy for it to pop off and not notice that it is missing (because it is not connected to a flight controller, you never hear any beeps, so you forget that there is a buzzer on there, so it is easy to forget about it all together, that includes forgetting to turn it on
I use these for model rocketry, and they work great. I carefully slipped a lanyard through the heatshrink covering and then attached it to the shock chord. I suppose I could just stick it to the bottom of the nose cone for those that are 1" or greater in body tube diameter. With the lanyard I can easily transfer it from one rocket to another. At the launch pad: Turn it on/arm it, wait a few seconds for it to beep the ready status, carefully close up the rocket and launch. This isn't something that you'll hear from 100's of yards away in the rocket-hungry tall grass. Once you get to within around 125', you'll hear the beeping. If the rocket is in a tree, you'll likely hear it much further away. Oddly enough, the first batch of 3 that I bought used a micro-USB charging cord/port but I just purchased 2 more and they have USB-C charging ports. not a big deal but not the same as the others. Thank goodness they don't use that Apple-type (lightning) charger/port!
Nice packaging, fast shipping and it works. I have lost three helicopters in the past two months. Only had this product mounted on the latest travesty. It was high up in a tree and I’m still unable to get it but I was impressed the capacitor kept the thing beeping and blinking for two solid days. Just bought another one with hopes of not having to utilize it but we all know better.
This is a great option for peopele who dont want to have to solder in 1 buzzer for each drone. I attach this to a battery strap on whatever drone Im flying.
Installé sur drone dji mini.
After almost losing my "Daily Driver", I bought a cheap drone to ease my anxiety & not have to worry about losing if the kids flew it. I lost the cheap drone twice in the trees and wouldn't have found it either time w/o my kids keen eyes. Then my prized drone floated off into the sunset. I chased it 2.5 miles ON FOOT as it slowly drifted towards the lake! Well, in Arlo Guthrie style: It didn't go into the Lake, it went into the TREE! 150ft up, up, way up in the tree!.. And it wasn't coming down any time soon! I only found it b/c of the navigation lights as it was now dark. If it was the tall grass with the raptors, I wouldn't have seen it! It wasn't until 9 months later that it fell out of the tree. Kudos to DJI (EVERYTHING still worked incl/battery!) I ordered a tracker.. BUT, I didn't realize until I had it in my hands that this was designed for a custom-built drone where it would be inserted into custom wiring harnesses and required custom programming to arm the device and send a keep-alive signal. The final straw was when I realized that there wouldn't be ANY LIGHTS OR SOUNDS if the battery was damaged or ejected in a crash! And once you've lost connection with the controller, it could be ANYWHERE! That was the whole point of the tracker! After doing some research, I found this tracker: * EASE OF MIND when operating your expen$ive drone! * EASY Installation by Zip-TIE * SWITCH from one device to another without re-wiring or re-programming * NO HARD WIRING NEEDED: NO cutting wires, splicing wires, or custom wiring harnesses! * BATTERY ON TRACKER ITSELF (doesn't rely on Drone's battery which might be damaged or ejected!) * RECHARGEABLE BATTERY * MINIMAL Weight * NO CUSTOM batteries or coin cells needed * CHARGE batteries in the field or on-the-go * Ample TIME - device continues to operate long enough for you to actually FIND it! * AUDIBLE BEEP (loud) * VISIBLE FLASHING (bright, attention-getting LEDs) * INTELLIGENT Tracker * Senses NORMAL FLIGHT vs LOSS OF CONTROL via on-board inertial sensors * NO COMMUNICATION with drone needed (some devices monitor servo signals) * NO PROGRAMMING needed (some devices need access to custom-switches or custom switch throws - i.e. toggle navigation lights on-off-on to enable tracker) * Reputable/Dependable Industry brand * Cost-effective - extremely affordable compared to the value of the equipment it's protecting This is actually a very sophisticated tracker with a very simple user interface. KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid! It's dead-simple to set up and use, you don't have to worry if it 's working properly, and you finally don't have to worry WHEN your drone develops a mind of it's own1 Highly recommended!